confused

Apr 20, 2003

should you do a genotype test before or after you start medication answer greatly appreciated thank you.

Response from Dr. Wohl

Depends what you are hoping to learn.

Some clinicians will order a genotype in people who are thought to have acquired their HIV infection within the past year. The aim here being to see if a drug resistant virus was transmitted. With the passage of time, drug resistant strains usually fade to the background while the more naturally occuring 'wild type' HIV prevails. Thus, genotype testing for drug resistance a year or more after infection and before treatment provides diminishing returns.

After therapy, if the viral load does not respond as expected and information is desired about which mutations the virus may have developed, then a genotype is helpful, as I hope, was this answer.

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